Some Things Never Change
by LadyCulebra
Summary: Sequel of "Of Silver and Green" The Malfoys are arrogant and attractive, Potter is a Quidditch star, Weasley is second best. Some things never change. But what happens when they do?
1. Ch 01: Introductions

DISCLAIMER: Ok, if you can't tell which characters are mine and which belong to Rowling, then perhaps you should read the books before looking at fanfiction. Thank you. Leave my poor not-making-a-penny-from-this self alone. I'm not worth suing. I can't even trouble myself to make sense half the time.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Ch. 01 Introductions  
  
As the First-years entered the Great Hall, it seemed as though they were the focus of every person in the large dining room. No one noticed the two sets of eyes glaring daggers at each other from across the room. Their owner's attentions were only dragged away from the other set of eyes when Headmistress McGonagall stood to give start-of-term announcements.  
  
Lucas Malfoy was so confident in his superiority that he didn't bother to avert his gaze from the headmistress when he felt the other boy's eyes fix on him again. His lips curved into a self-satisfied smirk and he let his eyelids drift closed over green-flecked sliver eyes, knowing his nonchalance would infuriate his observer even more.  
  
Without opening his eyes, Lucas spoke quietly to the person seated on his left. "His face has gone red, hasn't it?"  
  
"Oh, yes," murmured the amused girl. "His head looks like a tomato."  
  
"You're just saying that, Rienne," Lucas muttered with a pleased look on his face, as though he'd just received a compliment. Then he opened his eyes to check for himself. "Wait, no. You're right."  
  
Both were rather surprised when food appeared on the gold platters in front of them; neither had noticed that McGonagall had finished her speech. Lucas pilled his plate with chicken and mashed potatoes and then turned back to the girl beside him.  
  
"So what have your parents been up to this summer?" he asked between bites. "I haven't read anything about any of their cases in the Daily Prophet lately, and Harry wouldn't tell me anything in his owls either."  
  
Rienne tossed her shoulder-length blonde hair and took a sip of pumpkin juice before answering. "Well, Dad will only give me vague hints, so I can't be very sure. I think they've tracked down the source of some powerful dark magic to Switzerland, though. Mother won't tell me anything of course." Rienne affected a very realistic French accent. "Why do you ask me zees theengs? Eet ees none of your beezneess." She rolled her bright green eyes. "What about you? What have your parents got planned for this year?"  
  
Lucas' eyes darted up to the Head table subconsciously. "Oh, I don't know," he replied, "but it's sure to be hellish. You know how they are."  
  
Rienne grinned, mussing Lucas' blonde hair, playfully tugging at a few of the sporadic black streaks. "I don't know," she laughed. "I rather enjoy their classes."  
  
Lucas' parents were Draco Malfoy, the Potions master, and Brynne Malfoy, the Transfiguration professor. Rienne was correct in her judgment of them; neither was as harsh as their predecessor. However, Lucas wouldn't drop the subject so easily.  
  
"You'd like their classes less if they were your parents," he grumbled, molding his mashed potatoes into a small hill on his plate.  
  
"Lucas Michael Malfoy, stop your whining," Rienne said sternly. "You are not the only one with parents on the staff." She glanced at the girl seated opposite her. "Isn't that right, Ophelia?"  
  
Except for her hair colour, Ophelia Snape shared none of her appearance with her father. Her black hair was cut in a chin-length bob, and was sleek and shiny. Other than that, her facial structure, skin tone, and frame all resembled that of her mother. She had high cheekbones and a creamy, pale complexion. She was short and slight, her whole body seeming very delicate. This was merely a mask, however. Her personality could very much mirror that of her temperamental father.  
  
Ophelia nodded, her grey eyes glittering with mirth. "And you know everyone thinks my dad's worse than yours," she said in a soft, silky voice.  
  
At this, Lucas laughed. "That's right, Auntie Ophelia. Your dad's a right evil git who wouldn't pass his own daughter if she weren't in his house," he said with a smirk.  
  
"You know I don't like you calling me that," Ophelia said in the same sweet voice, now laced with irritation, as though they'd had this conversation numerous times before. "You're two years older than me."  
  
"Doesn't change the fact," Lucas said with the same smirk.  
  
Rienne swatted him in the back of the head. "Quit picking on her. Make eyes at Weasley or something. He's staring at you again."  
  
Lucas' eyes drifted across the hall to the Gryffindor table and automatically found the person he was looking for. Michael Weasley was tall, with the typical red hair all Weasleys seemed to have, and brown eyes that were currently burning with hatred and jealousy. Now that his face was no longer inflamed, the multitude of freckles was clearly visible. Unlike his father, Michael was not gangly or awkward-looking in the least. His body was well proportioned and slightly muscular, the perfect build for a Quidditch Keeper.  
  
Lucas narrowed his eyes at the other boy, and then deliberately glanced at Rienne. The blonde girl noticed none of the exchange, immersed in a discussion with Ophelia. A smirk spread across Lucas' lips and he inched a little closer to her, watching Weasley's reaction out of the corner of his eye.  
  
The boy had gone red again and looked as though he wanted to jump over the four tables separating them and strangle Lucas to death.  
  
Lucas sat back, a grin on his face, looking the picture of self- satisfaction. The school year had hardly started, and already he had one up on Weasley. He was startled from his thoughts when he felt Rienne tap him on the shoulder. "Who's not here?" she murmured in his ear.  
  
Lucas looked around, though he knew already whom she meant. "How can they be causing trouble already?" he sighed. "I swear I was only made Head Boy because someone had the ridiculous idea that I might be able to control the Terrible Trio." He stood up. "Rienne, if I'm not back before the feast ends, could you show the First-years the way down to the common room? The password is carpe noctem." Rienne nodded. "Thanks." Then he left the Great Hall, raking a hand through his hair with frustration.  
  
He paused just outside the large doors and gazed around. "If I were three hellions with no supervision, where would I be?" he murmured to himself thoughtfully. He sniffed the air and caught the faintest of scents. Thanks to his parents, Lucas' senses were much sharper than those of a normal human, and so he was able to follow his nose all the way up to the fourth floor and to the door of the Charms professor's office.  
  
The door was ajar and Lucas peered in through the crack. Three students were huddled over a drawer of the teacher's desk, speaking in hushed voices. All three had strawberry blonde hair flecked with black, and if they had been looking at him, Lucas would have been staring into reflections of his own eyes.  
  
"What do you three think you are doing in Professor Weasley's office?" Lucas boomed in his deepest, most authoritative voice.  
  
Connor, Flynn, and Britton Malfoy all jumped and wheeled around, their faces pale and frightened. Connor and Britton visibly relaxed when they realized who it was, but Flynn flushed at the sight of her older brother, trying surreptitiously to shift behind the other two.  
  
"Oh Lucas, it's only you," Britton said calmly, a cocky smirk on his lips. "For a minute we thought it was someone important."  
  
Lucas was about to reply when he heard a muffled voice behind them. He crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk of his own, causing Britton's expression to falter slightly. "You know, if you're going to be pulling pranks, you could at least be a little less obvious about it. First of all, the three of you disappearing all at once? Dead giveaway. Secondly, always have someone stand watch. Preferably someone to whom you are not related. Last, and most important of all, don't use snakes. Do you want the prank to scream, 'A Malfoy did it!'?" He strode past them and lifted a large black snake from the drawer and then closed it.  
  
"Come on, out in the hall. I really don't want to be caught inside a professor's office if it doesn't belong to one of our parents."  
  
Lucas leaned up against the wall a short way down the corridor and stared at each of his siblings in turn. "So whose brilliant plan was this?" he murmured to himself out loud. He stroked the snake thoughtfully. "Not Flynn, of course. I would expect a Ravenclaw to come up with an intelligent plan." Lucas' gaze drifted from his sister to one of the nearly identical boys. "Not Connor either, as his ideas are nearly always original and involve at least a small amount of cunning. So that leaves Britton." Lucas' eyes fixed on the third of his triplet siblings.  
  
Britton, the tallest of the three, blushed furiously, his ears turning bright pink. "It would've worked," he argued. "If you hadn't found us so quickly. How'd you do that, anyway?"  
  
Lucas tapped his nose. "And no, it wouldn't have worked. Mother could easily ask the snake who the culprit was, and then actions would have to be taken."  
  
Flynn looked at Lucas hopefully. "Does that mean."  
  
"Yes," Lucas said sourly. "I'm not going to punish you. Consider this a warning, and I hope you all learn your lesson," he told them severely, though a smirk was teasing at the corner of his mouth. "I won't be so lenient next time."  
  
Connor and Britton grinned widely, catching the real meaning behind Lucas' words. He didn't really disapprove of their pranks. On the contrary, he'd taught them nearly everything they knew. He just didn't want them to get punished, and definitely did not want to be the one to have to do it.  
  
"Come on, you lot," Lucas said finally, pushing off the wall and trying to look gruff. He failed miserably however, and starting laughing at them. "You three are just lucky I like you, or I could make this year hell for you."  
  
Lucas began leading them back towards the Great Hall, hoping the feast hadn't ended yet. As they walked, the four of them fell easily into their typical pattern, Connor and Flynn on one side of Lucas, Britton on the other.  
  
Lucas was easily the tallest of the four; about three inches taller than Britton, who was 5'8". Not too surprising, considering he was two years their senior. What was surprising was how Flynn was dwarfed by her three brothers, none of whom were exceptionally tall by any standards. The top of her head barely reached Lucas' shoulder.  
  
Aside from height, Lucas had few differences from his brothers, and those there were, were very subtle. Lucas' features were more angular, his jaw and cheekbones sharper, while the angles of Connor's and Britton's faces were softer, more curved. Lucas' face was almost severe in comparison, except that the severity was downplayed by a smattering of butterscotch freckles his brothers didn't possess.  
  
Also, their frames were quite different. Lucas and Britton were slim, with lean muscle. None of the three had much body fat, but Connor's muscles were more built and less stretched than those of the other two, giving him a more burly appearance.  
  
Despite their subtle differences in face and body, all three boys were nearly mirror images of their father. Flynn, however, was her mother through and through. Except for her colouring, which was very much her father's, Flynn's face and body could just as easily have belonged to Brynne. The oval face, almond-shaped eyes, full lips, small waist were all identical.  
  
Just as the four got to the Great Hall, they heard the thundering of feet from within that signified the end of the feast. Suddenly Flynn began tugging frantically at Lucas' sleeve. She pointed at the snake, eyes wide. It was draped loosely across his shoulders.  
  
Lucas nodded and hastily shoved the snake up one billowing sleeve, hoping it wouldn't bite him and muttering an apology in Parseltongue. He relaxed somewhat as it coiled around his bicep and attempted to look natural as the large mahogany doors opened and students came pouring out into the entrance hall.  
  
Using his better judgment, Lucas pulled the triplets with him behind a suit of armour. It would be better than people seeing all four of them together waiting outside the Great Hall and arousing suspicions further than they probably already were.  
  
He pulled Flynn aside. "Go and find Clara or Ainsley to walk back to your common room. Otherwise, you won't know your password." She nodded and Lucas pushed her into the fray, where she was almost instantly swallowed into the crowd.  
  
Then Lucas turned to his brothers. "I want you two to try and find Rienne or Ophelia, though they may have already gone ahead with the First-years."  
  
"I thought that was your job," Britton cut in quickly.  
  
"Yes, well, I had to go hunting, didn't I?" Lucas smirked. Britton turned pink. "If you don't find them, the password is carpe noctem. Stay together. People will be more suspicious if you're apart."  
  
"What about you?" asked Connor.  
  
"Oh, I'll be along after everyone's gone. I can't just join the crowd now, as I should be escorting the First-years down to our common room." He tapped his temple lightly. "You understand now what I mean about superior planning and thinking ahead?" he asked Britton, who grinned sheepishly. "Now get going, so you can blend in."  
  
"A Malfoy's not meant to blend in," Connor and Britton recited, identical smirks on their lips. "We're meant to stand apart."  
  
"Yes, yes. I know," Lucas said impatiently, trying not to laugh. "Just go, would you?"  
  
Britton and Connor made fists with their right hands and clapped them over their hearts while simultaneously bowing, in a sort of salute. "You wish is our command," Britton said seriously. Then both he and Connor burst into laughter and, half-supporting each other, walked away and joined the crowd, which had begun thinning.  
  
"You three are quite the act," came an amused voice from behind Lucas. "Are you sure you shouldn't just leave Hogwarts and go on tour?"  
  
Lucas replied without turning, a smile stretching across his face as he spoke. "But we're nothing without the fourth member of our troupe, and she won't leave 'til she's graduated, ruddy Ravenclaw." Then he wheeled around, his eyes lit up with excitement. "What are you doing here, Harry?" he asked, hugging his Godfather. "Does Rienne know you're here?" Only once Lucas had pulled away was he able to get a good look at the man.  
  
Harry Potter looked utterly exhausted. His glasses were smudged, his hair messier than was normal, and his robes rumpled as though he'd been wearing them for a week. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes wearily before answering.  
  
"I'm here to speak with your parents, actually. And no, Rienne doesn't know, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her. I can't stay long. I need to get some sleep eventually." Harry stifled a yawn and then forced a smile. "So what were you and the Terrible Trio up to?" he asked. "Nothing too deviant, I hope. Can't have the Head Boy and two Prefects getting expelled, now can we?"  
  
Lucas smirked and pulled the black snake from his sleeve. "I caught the three of them trying to stick this in a drawer of Professor Weasley's desk."  
  
Harry laughed and petted the snake. "Ooh, I can't imagine Hermione liking that too much." He shot Lucas a look. "I don't suppose you mentioned how obvious a prank that was?"  
  
Lucas nodded. "Walk you down to the dungeons?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
The entrance hall was now completely empty, so Lucas didn't bother trying to be sneaky, even though that was nearly impossible anyways due to the fact that he had company.  
  
"So what sort of case are you and Fleur working on?" Lucas asked eagerly as they treaded the familiar path down to the dungeons. Harry had married Fleur Delacour twenty years ago after being partnered together as Aurors at the Ministry of Magic and had worked together ever since.  
  
"You know Fleur and your parents would wring my neck if I told you," Harry chided, his green eyes glittering mischieviously.  
  
"And so they'll never know you told me," Lucas responded with amusement.  
  
"Well, I've just discovered a breakthrough on my oldest case," Harry murmured quietly, his tone excited. "I've been tracking a dark wizard for more than twenty years now, and I've just received a tip that he might be hiding out in Switzerland."  
  
Lucas' eyes lit up. "Oh? Who is it?"  
  
"You wouldn't be familiar with the name," Harry answered quickly. "Now I've got to speak with your parents, and you should get to your common room. Goodnight." Harry turned down a side corridor, which Lucas knew led to his parents' private chambers.  
  
Lucas stared down the corridor after Harry's retreating back, unable to hide the hurt in his eyes. Harry had never been so abrupt with him, and Lucas didn't know what to think.  
  
He was so wrapped up in his hurt feelings, he didn't notice when a person came up behind him. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the person grabbed his waist.  
  
"Gotcha!"  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
A/N: Well, here it is, the much-awaited first chapter of the sequel to "Of Silver and Green". I presume a lot, I'm sure. But I know at least a few of you have been anxious for me to start writing. I hope that you aren't disappointed. Enjoy! 


	2. Ch 02: Deviant Behaviour

DISCLAIMER: Ok, if you can't tell which characters are mine and which belong to Rowling, then perhaps you should read the books before looking at fanfiction. Thank you. Leave my poor not-making-a-penny-from-this self alone. I'm not worth suing. I can't even trouble myself to make sense half the time.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Ch. 02: Deviant Behaviour  
  
"Gotcha!"  
  
When Lucas felt a pair of hands close around his waist, he immediately went for his wand, whirling around to face his attack. Once he realized who it was, his angry shout echoed down the corridor.  
  
"Rienne Sirius Potter!"  
  
The girl clapped her hand over Lucas' mouth, green eyes darting back and forth as she pulled him into the shadows. "Quiet," she hissed. "You know I haven't any right to be out of the common room after hours. You want to get me into trouble?"  
  
Lucas pushed her hand away from his mouth angrily. "I might have hurt you," he growled, shoving his wand back into his pocket. "You bloody well should get in trouble. Sneaking up on unsuspecting students. They ought to keep people like you locked up," Lucas grumbled, though he wasn't really very angry anymore. Try as he might, he could never stay angry with Rienne for long.  
  
Rienne giggled and wrapped her arm around Lucas' waist. "I would like to know how I was able to catch you so unsuspecting. You were staring down that hall with a sort of glazed look on your face. 'A Slytherin should never be caught off his guard'," she said in a severe voice, mimicking their Head of House, Professor Snape.  
  
"Yes, well, I thought I saw something, and it isn't very well-lit down here, if you hadn't noticed," Lucas said defensively.  
  
Rienne raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You thought you saw something?" she echoed disbelievingly, clearly amused by the pathetic excuse. "Come on," she coaxed, pressing closer to him. "I won't say a word."  
  
"Harry's here," he sighed. "He didn't want me to say anything because he can't stay long. He's just here to speak with my parents. The reason you caught me off-guard was because Harry was behaving sort of odd. That caught me off-guard. He acted as though he were trying to hide something from me. He's never done that before. I don't like it," Lucas muttered.  
  
Rienne rested her head on his shoulder and began leading the way back to their common room. "You know how my dad is. He'd only keep something from you if he was trying to protect you."  
  
Lucas couldn't deny the truth of her statement. "He might have said that," he murmured darkly. "Didn't have to be so abrupt."  
  
At this, Rienne had to laugh. "If he'd told you he was trying to protect you, would you have let the matter drop?" she asked. "You would have been intrigued and pestered him for details, and don't try to deny it." Lucas crossed his arms petulantly and didn't reply. Rienne growled and pinched his side, hard. "Quit pouting. We are going to have fun tonight. Britton took it upon himself to plan a party." Lucas turned and looked at her, shock clear on his face. "I didn't even have to push him in the right direction," she added with a laugh.  
  
"Britton actually planned ahead?" Lucas asked, his tone amused. "Perhaps I gave him too little credit earlier."  
  
"Yeah, apparently he and Connor have all kinds of food from the kitchens and nicked your dad's Firewhiskey from home."  
  
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Then why are we waiting around here? If we don't hurry and get back, it'll all be gone." He seized Rienne's hand and pulled her down the corridor towards the entrance of the Slytherin common room, the girl laughing all the way.  
  
"Carpe noctem," he said upon reaching the trapdoor, his voice somewhat breathless.  
  
When the door slid open, the sounds from within echoed down the hallway immediately. Lucas and Rienne hurried inside, not wanting the noise to spread. They were immediately caught up in a raucous crowd of Slytherins.  
  
Lucas glanced around a few seconds before finding the person he was looking for. He smirked at Rienne and began leading her across the room. He stood in front of Britton, arms crossed, face set in a frown. "Where is it?"  
  
Britton swallowed thickly and handed over a half-empty bottle of Ogden's Olde Firewhiskey. "Am I in trouble?"  
  
Lucas cracked a grin and uncorked the bottle, taking a long swig. He made a pained face as the liquid burned its way down his throat, and then passed the bottle to Rienne, who took a drink herself.  
  
"No," Lucas replied with a laugh. "But you would have been had you not shared. Make sure this party is over by midnight. We do have classes tomorrow, after all." Lucas took the bottle from Rienne and took another drink from it before handing it back to Britton. "And make it clear that if I hear any complaints about hangovers in the morning, the person making the complaint will not be allowed at the next party." He raised an eyebrow to indicate he was serious. "Alright?"  
  
Britton grinned. "You're the boss."  
  
"Damn right. Now, unlike some people, I understand the virtues of a decent night's sleep." Lucas turned and walked away without another word, heading up the stairs to his dormitory.  
  
"Don't worry about him. You don't have to end the party until one," Rienne whispered to Britton once Lucas was out of hearing range. "I'll keep him suitably distracted." Then she kissed him on the cheek and flounced away giggling in the direction Lucas had gone, Britton shaking his head with a lopsided grin.  
  
Once Rienne got upstairs, she was suddenly alert and cautious, her instincts and reflexes becoming almost feline in nature. She wondered if she might be able to sneak up on Lucas again.  
  
Rienne approached his bedroom door slowly, every step measured and wary, her footsteps making no noise. Her hand closed on the doorknob and twisted it carefully, pushing the door open soundlessly. She had no time to register that the room was dark and empty before the attack came, not from the front or back, but from the side.  
  
Rienne shrieked as a shadow swooped in from her right and body checked her. Quite suddenly, she found herself pinned to the to the wall, arms stretched pleasantly over her head, a pair of soft and pliable lips moulding themselves against hers.  
  
She struggled against the grip on her wrists, smirking as she kissed back, finally managing to free one hand. She wrapped this arm around her attacker's neck and buried her hand in his hair. With a growl, she yanked his head back and stared at him, her eyes sparkling wickedly.  
  
"Lucas dear, I don't suppose you might try being a little less amorous next time. I think I'll have a bruise," she accused in a teasing voice.  
  
"You'll be lucky if that's all you get," Lucas rumbled in response, wearing a mischievious smirk of his own.  
  
"Uh oh, that sounded like a promise," Rienne sang, pressing her body flush against that of her boyfriend. "You'd better follow through on that," she murmured, her eyes now hooded and lust-filled.  
  
"I wouldn't dream of letting you down," Lucas growled. Then Rienne pulled his head forward, crushing their lips together insistently, nibbling at his lower lip and tongue playfully.  
  
Lucas smirked around the kiss and ran his free hand down Rienne's side to rest lightly at her hip. Without any warning, Lucas released her other wrist and used both hands to hoist her dainty frame over his shoulder. Then, Rienne kicking and screaming with laughter, he carried her into his bedroom and shut the door behind them.  
  
Rienne squealed as Lucas attempted to toss her onto his bed, locking her legs around one of his thighs, so that he was pulled down on top of her, their faces inches apart.  
  
"I've missed you," Lucas murmured, silver eyes focused on sparkling green.  
  
"You saw me last week," Rienne said teasingly, running a finger down his cheek.  
  
Lucas rocked his hips gently, eliciting a low moan from the girl beneath him. "I've missed you," he clarified, his tone carrying more meaning.  
  
He had just leaned down to capture Rienne's lips again when his door was slammed open and Connor burst in, panting heavily.  
  
Rienne was the first to regain her senses and swiftly kicked Lucas off her, laughing as he rolled ineloquently onto the floor. She rose from the bed and crossed the room to face the boy, who was still struggling to catch his breath. He had apparently run the whole way up the stairs.  
  
"What is it, hon?" Rienne asked gently, setting a comforting hand on his shoulder. She felt Lucas' arms slip around her waist as he came up behind her.  
  
"This had better be good," Lucas growled, his pale face tinged with pink.  
  
"Caleb and Weasley are fighting, right outside the common room," Connor finally said.  
  
Lucas' face hardened into a scowl and he stomped from the room, Rienne and Connor hurrying behind him. When Lucas got back down to the common room, he stopped right before the entrance, which was wide open, and bellowed, "Weasley!" his voice furious and foreboding.  
  
The sounds of struggling could be heard in the corridor before Caleb Zabini and Michael Weasley dragged each other trough the trapdoor. One only had to look at the pair to realize it had not been a fair fight. Michael was easily four inches taller than Caleb, and far more muscular. Caleb had more of a swimmer's body; he was rather tall, but slim, with hardly any body mass compared to that of Michael Weasley. At the moment, Caleb's black hair was in complete disarray, and his hazel eyes were bleary and out-of-focus. He was rubbing his jaw and glaring sideways at Weasley.  
  
Lucas strode over to the pair, seizing Michael by the collar of his robes. "What is the meaning of this?" the blonde snarled, yanking the other boy forward so that their noses were practically touching.  
  
Michael pulled away, shrugging out of Caleb's grip and glaring at Lucas venomously. "I came down here to discuss the schedule for use of the Quidditch pitch with Potter, only to be attacked by this bloody lunatic," he growled, gesturing to Caleb, who was standing off to the side now, swaying slightly on his feet. It was obvious that the by had had a bit too much to drink.  
  
Lucas rolled his eyes skeptically. "You needed to discuss that now?" he asked, his eyes narrowing critically. "No one starts practicing for at least two weeks, and you thought it necessary to make up a schedule the night we arrive? Have you spoken to Ainsley? The new Hufflepuff captain?" He let out a snort of derisive laughter. "You actually think anyone's going to believe that story? Be honest. You came down here to start a fight." Lucas crossed his arms expectantly, watching as Michael's face turned pink.  
  
"I don't care if you believe me, Malfoy," the redhead spat. "I came down here to speak with Potter."  
  
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "So you believe that coming down here to speak to someone else's girlfriend under false pretenses shouldn't warrant a fight?" he asked.  
  
Michael blushed a brilliant shade of crimson, his face contorted with fury. He had pulled back a fist to lash out at Lucas when he found himself suspended upside-down in midair. He snarled angrily, thrashing about and looking for the person who had cast the charm. He was slowly rotated in place and found himself staring into the amused face of Professor Snape.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley, and may I say that you are just like your father," he stated coldly. "You have no right to be here, especially this late at night." He glanced over at Caleb, who sported a large bruise already darkening his jaw. "And another twenty for fighting." Snape continued before Michael could object. "You should simply be grateful I'm not taking more." He swished his wand and Michael whirled about quite violently so that he was standing upright on the floor.  
  
Michael attempted a scowl, but looked as though he were too dizzy to manage it as he staggered from the room.  
  
"Why hello, Professor Snape," Britton said cheerfully, crossing the room after carefully hiding the bottle of Firewhiskey. "I trust your summer holidays were spiffing and that Grandmother is well? What brings you here this fine evening?"  
  
Snape smirked but otherwise ignored the boy, but Lucas shot him a vicious glare. "Everyone to their dormitories," he announced loudly. "This party is over." He glanced at Ophelia and Rienne, who were hovering over Caleb, tending his wounds, and then to Connor and Britton. "You five can stay, if you keep quiet." He shot a pointed look at Britton, who averted his gaze.  
  
"I've spoken to my parents about Weasley," Lucas told Snape, sitting in one of the armchairs by the fireplace. "This isn't the first time this has happened."  
  
Snape nodded, taking the seat opposite Lucas. No one was likely to forget the long-standing rivalry between Michael Weasley and Lucas Malfoy, nor the particularly violent episode last year that had begun with a wizard duel and had culminated in one bloody nose, one broken jaw, and two sets of torn and dirty robes.  
  
"I'll speak to his Head of House," Snape told Lucas with a smirk. "Merlin knows she won't be pleased with him fighting again. If the situation does not improve, I will take it straight to the Headmistress."  
  
Lucas nodded. "Thank you, Professor." Then he smirked. "Actually, how is Grandmother?"  
  
"Harried, I'm sure," Snape replied with a small smile. "Chasing a five-year- old around would be enough to drive anyone mad, but I almost think she enjoys it. Some of you should go and visit her and Deimos some time in between classes," he said, directing himself to the six occupants of the common room. "I'm sure Cissa would enjoy the company and fawn over you the way she always does." Snape's lips curved into a small smirk. "And speaking of Cissa, if this crisis has been averted, I'll be getting back to my chambers now."  
  
Rienne giggled and Ophelia looked rather queasy. Snape crossed toward the trapdoor, and had just stepped through the entrance when Rienne waved after him and called, "Have fun!"  
  
Ophelia scowled, looking scandalized, and elbowed Rienne sharply in the ribs. They could hear a bit of muffled laughter from the corridor just before the trapdoor closed.  
  
Lucas stood and stretched, crossing to the couch where Caleb was sitting, Ophelia and Rienne kneeling in front of him. "What do you think, Rienne? Does he need to go to the Hospital Wing?"  
  
Rienne shook her head. "There's nothing so serious that it can't wait for tomorrow morning when he's sober."  
  
Lucas gestured for Connor to come over and together they hoisted Caleb to his feet and slowly began leading him upstairs to the Sixth-year boys dormitory.  
  
"Here you go, Caleb," Lucas said, seating the boy on his bed. "I appreciate what you did, but next time, leave Weasley to me. Especially if you've been drinking," he added with a laugh.  
  
Caleb nodded and grinned, falling back onto his bed without bothering to get his pajamas on. Connor and Lucas left the room and closed the door behind them, meeting the other three of their number in the hall.  
  
"You should all get to bed," Lucas told them. "Classes tomorrow and such. Do you all have a break after lunch?" They all nodded. "Good. If you like, you can accompany me to visit Grandmother Cissa; it sounds like fun." Then he leaned out and kissed Rienne on the lips. "I have plans for you," he murmured in her ear before pulling away. "But alas, they will have to wait." Without another word, Lucas turned and strode down the hall, not looking back. He smirked to himself, content in the knowledge that Rienne's green eyes were full of desire, and he was the most spectacular tease in Slytherin. And that was saying something.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
A/N: Chapter the second. Hope my loyal readers aren't disappointed. And yes, those of you who guessed Narcissa was Ophelia's mother were dead on. Good for you. 


	3. Ch 03: A Lesson in Animagi

DISCLAIMER: Ok, if you can't tell which characters are mine and which belong to Rowling, then perhaps you should read the books before looking at fanfiction. Thank you. Leave my poor not-making-a-penny-from-this self alone. I'm not worth suing. I can't even trouble myself to make sense half the time.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Ch. 03: A Lesson in Animagi  
  
Lucas groaned heavily and let his forehead fall forward onto the table. He, Rienne, Connor, Britton, Ophelia, and Caleb had gone down to breakfast and had received their timetables for classes. Lucas was staring at his as though he was facing the worst of tortures.  
  
Ophelia reached out and seized his schedule, eyes narrowed critically. "This isn't so bad; I don't see what you are complaining about."  
  
"Oh no?" Lucas asked, snatching the parchment back. "I have both of my parents and a pair of Weasleys for classes all in the same day, three times a week," he growled.  
  
Rienne delicately plucked the timetable from his hands and laid it on the table beside her own. "We have the same schedule," she told him after comparing the two. Her eyes sparkled slightly. "And I must say, I rather enjoy Care of Magical Creatures since Professor Weasley took the class over."  
  
Ophelia giggled. "Me too."  
  
Caleb shot the dark-haired girl a look of disbelief. "You don't even take Care of Magical Creatures!"  
  
The girl puffed up indignantly. "That doesn't mean I can't enjoy the class!"  
  
The two looked as though they were going to explode, but Lucas held up a hand to quiet them. "Even I can admit that the class has improved since that oaf of a gamekeeper retired from teaching. Anyway, who wants to go with me to see Grandmother Cissa this afternoon?"  
  
Caleb and Ophelia both shook their heads. "Deimos is a holy terror, and I've been looking forward to getting away from him for a while," she smirked. "Maybe next time."  
  
"Mrs. Snape will be overwhelmed enough with you four. I think I'll sit this one out as well," Caleb added.  
  
"Four?" Lucas repeated thoughtfully. "That doesn't sound right." A thought occurred to him. "Connor, go ask Flynn if she can come."  
  
Connor nodded and left the Slytherin table. He returned several minutes later, a blush fading from his cheeks. "She said she'd meet us outside the Great Hall after lunch."  
  
Caleb stood to his feet. "Well, I'm going to go see if I've got any classes with Clara. I'll see you guys at lunch."  
  
Lucas stood as well. "And I have to escort the lovely Ms. Potter to Transfiguration, so no evil Gryffindors accost her in the halls," he stated, his voice sounding valiant and long-suffering.  
  
Rienne rose, giggling. "And I have to escort the tragically handsome Mr. Malfoy to Transfiguration, so his legions of adoring fans don't trample him in the corridors."  
  
Britton stood and linked his arm in hers, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Well, if you insist. However, I must inform you, I have Potions, not Transfiguration."  
  
Rienne smirked and pinched his side. Then she turned to Lucas. "Shall we go?"  
  
"Sure thing," he replied. Lucas wrapped his arm around her waist and, after shooting a superior look to Weasley, left the Great Hall.  
  
"You know," Rienne muttered as they walked upstairs, heading for the Transfiguration classroom, "perhaps you should worry a little more about yourself. From the looks Weasley gives you, it would seem he would prefer to accost you in the halls. He has only ever been nice to me."  
  
Lucas snorted. "Have you ever thought why that might be?"  
  
"Of course," she snapped. "But he's not going to hurt me, and I'm not going to run off with him behind your back, so you can drop the macho displays." Lucas looked a little taken aback. "You, Lucas Malfoy, are an idiot, if you think I don't notice your little smirks towards the Gryffindor table. No wonder Weasley wants to kick the bloody hell out of you!"  
  
Lucas couldn't help but blush at this. He ran his hands through his hair with embarrassment, and glanced at Rienne wearing a lopsided grin. "Would you believe me if I told you I won't do it any more?" he asked sweetly.  
  
"Only if you mean it." Rienne sang, her voice easily more saccharine.  
  
Lucas looked stricken, as though the concept of actually meaning what one said was a horrible thought. "Alright," he relented finally, his voice frustrated. "I won't antagonize Weasley." As much. "But you'd better believe I'm going to defend myself if he starts anything," he grumbled.  
  
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Rienne said cheerfully, skipping into the Transfiguration classroom at which they had just arrived. She immediately took the foremost desk in the classroom, right in the center.  
  
Lucas stared at her grumpily for a few moments before grudgingly taking the seat beside her. Lucas hated sitting at the front of the class, especially for those his parents taught. Rienne knew this and sat in those seats as often as possible.  
  
Both Lucas and Rienne were very skilled at Transfiguration and were usually the first called on to demonstrate things. Lucas hated the attention, but Rienne doted on it, usually showing off in the process.  
  
Lucas rummaged through his knapsack in the spare minutes before class began, searching for a quill, ink, and parchment. He noted, from the corner of his eye, that the other students were doing the same. It was his mother's accepted method of teaching to lecture notes to them for the first half of class before letting them attempt any spells.  
  
None of the students were showed any surprise as a large red fox with black streaks through its fur came barreling into the classroom. It hopped lightly onto the professor's desk at the front of the room. Perching lightly on the edge of the desk, it stared intelligently at them all.  
  
Lucas looked away disinterestedly, reaching into his bag to retrieve a pot of ink. When he looked back to the front of the class, his mother was seated at the edge of the desk, swinging her legs merrily. Ever since she had finally registered with the Ministry of Magic, Brynne had made a point of shifting into her Animagus form as much as possible.  
  
Brynne Malfoy was in her mid-thirties, but anyone asked would have to admit she looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was a coppery red, riddled with blackened streaks induced by being scorched by magical flames. It was from their mother that Lucas, Britton, Connor, and Flynn had received their coal- black streaks. Their parents had been quite amused that they had been passable traits.  
  
Brynne's slightly freckled face hardly showed her age, and her emerald eyes sparkled mischieviously, as though she knew something the class did not. "You can all set your quills and parchment aside for the moment," Brynne stated, her voice bemused.  
  
Lucas looked at her curiously and did as he had been instructed. This was new. Rienne was looking at him inquisitively, but Lucas shrugged in response, indicating he knew as much as she did.  
  
When the rustling of paper ceased, Brynne continued. "I have been speaking with the Headmistress on and off for several months now, and she, in turn, has been conferring with the Ministry of Magic, and they have finally granted my request to reward my hardest-working class and teach them a different branch of Transfiguration."  
  
At this, Lucas heard the excited whispers of the students around him, but he simply smirked. Now he knew what his mother was up to. He leaned back in his chair, looking sated, and smiled knowledgeably at his mother, who was looking back at him, more amused than ever, waiting for the hushed conversations to stop.  
  
When they did, Brynne raised her voice slightly. "Lucas, Rienne, front of the class, please."  
  
Lucas complied almost eagerly, still wearing his self-satisfied grin, while Rienne looked more than a little confused.  
  
"All right dear, you first," Brynne told Lucas, as it was obvious he knew what to do, while Rienne was most clueless.  
  
Lucas nodded and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, willing himself to change his body chemistry at the cellular level. Almost in the back of his mind, Lucas heard gasps, but he was too overcome with the itch of sprouting hair to take much notice.  
  
When the transformation was complete, Lucas leapt onto the desk beside his mother and looked out at his classmates, his grey eyes sharp and calculating. Whereas his mother had been an unregistered Animagus for a number of years before registering with the Ministry of Magic, Lucas had learned the legal way, with the Ministry monitoring his progress carefully.  
  
Lucas' registered form was that of a grey fox with silver eyes, its fur littered with black streaks, and a strip of black fur connecting the tip of his nose to the base of his tail, tracing a path back between his eyes, ears, and shoulder blades, marking the ridge of his spine. These markings were nearly reminiscent of a cross fox, but unheard of in a grey, making it obvious that Lucas was not a normal fox in any regards.  
  
Shadow, as Lucas called his Animagus form, was rather amused at his classmates' reactions. They all looked shocked and impressed. This came as no surprise, as Lucas had only let a precious few witness his transformation. It was more useful in sneaking around if fewer people knew about it, after all.  
  
Brynne then turned her gaze on Rienne, whose eyes now glittered with understanding. "Go ahead, dear," she murmured, idly scratching behind Shadow's ear.  
  
Rienne's eyes were already shut tight with concentration. Lucas watched the familiar transformation disinterestedly. He had seen Rienne do this more often than he could remember, and was not even vaguely surprised when the tawny, green-eyed Siamese cat pounced on him.  
  
Shadow let out a short, high-pitched bark and shrugged Princess, Rienne's name for her Animagus form, off his back, inadvertently knocking her off the desk as well. Princess flipped in mid-air to land gracefully on her feet. Then she turned and leapt back up, settling herself in Brynne's lap.  
  
Brynne stroked the cat wearing an amused smile. "One of your two assignments is to write home tonight. By next Monday, I want each of you to receive written permission from at least one of your parents to receive Animagus training. If your parents have any concerns, they are free to owl me directly. I can only teach this if you all have permission, as it would be unfair to only teach part of the class." A dirty blonde girl at the back of the class put up her hand. "Ms. Derrick?"  
  
"How long have they been able to transform?" she asked gesturing at Shadow and Princess, who were currently making playful swipes at each other's tails.  
  
"My husband and trained Lucas after his first year, and Rienne after her third. Any other questions? Mr. Bole?"  
  
"You said we had two assignments?" asked the brunette boy.  
  
Brynne nodded. "I want each of you to write a short paper on two of the twenty-four Animagi registered with the Ministry of Magic. I have a list of them here." She lifted a sheet of parchment from her desk. "I've already assigned Lucas and Rienne their topics, so they will not have an unfair advantage. You will be reporting on your subjects at our next meeting on Friday. Ms. MacNair?"  
  
"What sort of things do we need to write about?" asked a girl with a slight Scottish accent.  
  
"I was just getting to that. On each person, I want you to find what their Animagus form is, their distinguishing marks, the age at their first transformation, length of their training, and anything else of interest you can find." Brynne paused and held the parchment up. "Now I'm going to read off the names, and it would seem most fair to let the first person who raises their hand have the topic. Remember: you must choose two." Then she proceeded through the list of registered Animagi, most of which had only vaguely familiar names. Halfway through the list, Brynne paused, eyes sparkling. Then she read the next name. "Britton Malfoy." In the silence following, no one raised their hand until at least a full minute after Brynne had spoken. Finally, three girls raised their hands, almost simultaneously. "Ms. Nott," Brynne murmured, writing the girl's name beside Britton's on the list. "Brynne Malfoy." She glanced up and nodded. "Mr. Fletcher."  
  
She paused to note this and then said, "Connor Malfoy." She laughed. "Ms. Nott. Draco Malfoy," she read from the list. "Ah, Mr. Lestrange. Finally decided to put up your hand?" She gazed down at the list again. "Flynn Malfoy. Mr. St. Paul, you were first. Lucas Malfoy."  
  
Brynne's eyes widened with shock and amusement as the hand of every girl in the class shot into the air. She glanced at the two animals beside her to see if they'd noticed. Obviously they had, for they were shooting each other amused glances, and Shadow was puffing out his chest slightly.  
  
"It's difficult to say for certain, but I believe it was Ms. Bletchley who was first," Brynne said finally, marking her list. When she had finished assigning topics, she turned to the two Animagi seated on her desk. "If you two would resume human form."  
  
In seconds, there were two humans seated beside Brynne on the professor's desk, practically in each other's laps due to their close proximity when they had transformed and also the fact that a normal-sized teacher's desk is not made to accommodate three people sitting side-by-side on it.  
  
Lucas and Rienne stood to their feet and Brynne showed them their essay assignments before they took their seats.  
  
"You are permitted to conduct your research however you would like, of course," Brynne said, hopping lightly off her desk to pace in front of it. "However, I would suggest that some of you will find it easier to simply ask the person in question." After a moment's pause, she added, "Tactfully. I will inform you that my children in particular may not take kindly to you addressing this topic with, oh, say, Gryffindors around."  
  
Everyone nodded. They could all see the benefits of being an Animagus, and why one wouldn't want such an ability to be discussed in an open forum.  
  
Brynne glanced at her watch. "Alright, class dismissed. If anyone has any questions, you can either ask now, or come to my office any time during the lunch hour. See you all on Friday."  
  
Lucas didn't bother packing his things, but instead went to the front of the room to address his mother. "Excuse me," he said sweetly. "What, pray tell, are you going to have Rienne and I doing while you are teaching them to become Animagi? We already are, in case you'd forgotten."  
  
Brynne smirked. "No, I hadn't forgotten. You and Rienne have three options, from which you must choose two. A: You can assist with the Animagus training, B: You can complete an independent study project on the Transfiguration topic of your choice, or C: You can tutor one of my Fifth- years for their Transfiguration O.W.L. Did you hear all of that, Dear?" Brynne asked, looking over Lucas' shoulder. Lucas turned and saw Rienne standing just behind him.  
  
"Yes. I think I'd like to do the tutoring and the independent study," she responded.  
  
Brynne nodded and turned her gaze back to Lucas. "And what of you?"  
  
"The same."  
  
"Alright, but I'd just like to clarify that an independent study is independent. However, if you choose related topics, you may be able to conduct your research together and work as a team. Understood?" They both nodded. "I want you two to give me a written proposition for your research projects on Monday. I'll tell you whom you'll be tutoring on Friday. Now hurry along. I'm sure Draco's waiting for you."  
  
Lucas returned to his desk and hastily shoved his things into his bag and then followed Rienne from the room. "Do you have any ideas for your project?" he asked, catching up and matching her pace as they headed downstairs to the Potions classroom.  
  
"Several, actually," Rienne replied. "But the one that is most intriguing to me is the idea of what about a person causes them to take a certain Animagus form."  
  
"How would you research that?" Lucas asked curiously.  
  
"I've been thinking interviews. With the other twenty-three registered Animagi. Compare my findings with their known Animagus forms and see if any conclusions can be drawn."  
  
Lucas nodded. "I was actually thinking about a project in which I could research the possibility of actively choosing the Animagus form. I'm not sure what kind of research I'm looking at, but it's certain to be interesting."  
  
They were still discussing this when they arrived at the Potions classroom, but automatically clammed up upon the first sighting of a red and gold tie. By some cruel twist of fate, Slytherin and Gryffindor nearly always had Potions together, much to the chagrin of both houses.  
  
Lucas' eyes drifted over to the desk where Michael Weasley was seated, as though he were the opposite pole of a magnet, but somehow, he managed to control the urge to smirk. Instead, he took the seat beside Rienne at the front of the class and leaned back in his chair, waiting for his father to enter the room.  
  
Half the class jumped as the classroom door slammed open with a deafening "BANG". Every pair of eyes darted to the doorway, and every pair of eyes received a shock at what they saw.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
A/N: So ends chapter the third. And I will not apologize for my cliffie like some authors do, because I am not sorry, because I intended for that to happen. So there. *Smug smile* Guess I showed you. And before you even accuse me of over-doing the whole Animagus thing, you have to consider Brynne and Draco's background. Of course they're going to teach their kids. It's practically a tradition. 


	4. Ch 04: The Letter

DISCLAIMER: Ok, if you can't tell which characters are mine and which belong to Rowling, then perhaps you should read the books before looking at fanfiction. Thank you. Leave my poor not-making-a-penny-from-this self alone. I'm not worth suing. I can't even trouble myself to make sense half the time. I am trying my hardest, though.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Ch. 04: The Letter  
  
As the door to the Potions class was slammed open, Lucas' eyes went immediately to the person standing on the threshold. After a moment recognized the person standing there and his eyes widened in disbelief as he let out an audible gasp.  
  
Draco Malfoy entered the room slowly and crossed to the desk, wordlessly beginning to rifle through the drawers as all of the eyes in the room looked on, following his every move.  
  
Lucas had seen his father before when he had first woken in the morning, but never had Draco looked this haggard and unkempt. His chin-length blonde hair, which was usually slicked back, not a strand out of place, was now sticking up at odd angles, looking as though it had not been touched for days. His eyes, normally silver and sharp, were a melancholy grey and had deep circles beneath them, making him look years older than he was. It was a well-known fact among all of Draco's students how fastidious he was about his appearance, so even the Gryffindors were slightly uneasy about this new development.  
  
Once Draco had found the sheet of parchment he'd been searching for, he flicked his wand at the blackboard, and a list of ingredients appeared there. "Can anyone tell me what potion we'll be working with today?" he asked offhandedly, not noticing or perhaps ignoring the shocked looks of everyone in the room. "Does no one know?" he asked, tone turning irritable. "The combination of these ingredients can make only one potion."  
  
Rienne raised a slightly trembling hand. "Veritaserum," she replied softly. "But I don't think I'm the only person wondering if there isn't something wrong."  
  
At first Draco looked a little puzzled, then must have realized the state he was in. "Oh, no. Nothing's wrong," he said with a laugh very few could tell was forced. "I just woke extremely late this morning," he explained easily. Then he began describing the delicate process that was brewing Veritaserum before any more questions could be asked, much to the suspicion of many of the students more familiar with their professor.  
  
They spent the whole of the class taking notes on Veritaserum, and many of the students were dismayed to learn that the process would take nearly a month to complete. As such, the entire project would be worth a third of the final grade, which made even the most confident at least a little nervous.  
  
"You go on to lunch," Lucas muttered to Rienne as they were released. "I want to talk to my father in private."  
  
There were questions in her eyes, but Rienne didn't ask them. "Alright dear," she said quietly, lifting her bag to her shoulder. Then she skipped to the door, calling out, "Shaunessey! Shaunessey MacNair! Wait for me!"  
  
Lucas approached his father slowly, like one might advance on a wounded predator. "Father?" he asked softly.  
  
Draco looked up from his desk, carefully placing a stack of parchment in a drawer. "Yes, Lucas?" he replied wearily, but wearing a smile to let the boy know the tone wasn't related to him.  
  
Lucas shifted, looking thoughtful. "Even the Gryffindors could tell there is something off with you," he began, keeping his voice respectful. "I'd like to think, knowing you better than most, that you might tell me what's wrong."  
  
Draco sighed and steepled his fingers in contemplation. "There's nothing wrong," he said resolutely, leveling eyes with his son. "I just received some bad news yesterday evening and was up all night. And before you ask, I'd inform you that I'll not be telling you what I found out or from whom," he added quickly with a knowing smirk.  
  
"It was Harry, wasn't it?" Lucas asked quietly.  
  
Draco let an eyebrow arch in shock, "Clever boy," he murmured, tone amused. "And how would you know that Potter was here last night?"  
  
"I ran into him on my way to the common room," Lucas replied. "He said he had to speak with you and Mother and wouldn't tell me what about."  
  
"Your deductive skills are remarkable, Lucas, but he only spoke with me, so I would prefer if you told no one he was here, especially not your mother; it would only worry her," Draco remarked quickly, several worry lines blooming on his forehead. When Lucas didn't immediately respond, Draco edged forward in his seat. "You haven't already told anyone, have you?" he asked haltingly.  
  
"Rienne found me just after Harry left me. I told her he went to talk to you," Lucas replied, lowering his eyes apologetically.  
  
Draco cursed under his breath, before refocusing on his son. "You will impress upon your girlfriend the proper discretion," he said, tone low and serious.  
  
"That might be easier if I knew why," Lucas said, sounding frustrated.  
  
Draco's eyes flashed angrily. "Lucas Michael Malfoy, this situation is none of your concern, but since you have insisted upon bringing yourself into it, you will do as you are told and ask no questions. Do I make myself clear?" Draco winced at his own tone, but otherwise did not lose his demeanor. He had sounded far more like his father than he would have liked.  
  
Lucas nodded curtly, his whole body gone stiff with frustrated anger. "Very well, Father," he answered, successfully keeping his tone respectful despite his temper. "May I go? I'm running late for lunch."  
  
"Yes, go ahead," Draco replied, his countenance softening slightly. "I'd tell you if it weren't so important," he muttered apologetically.  
  
'It's alright, Father,' Lucas thought bitterly as he left. 'I'm sure it's only for my own good.'  
  
He hurried back to the common room and into his dormitory to retrieve the books for his afternoon classes, then rushed back towards the Great Hall. Lucas had just emerged from the dungeons into the entrance hall when a medium-sized bird swooped down from one of the large windows and landed heavily on his shoulder, nearly knocking the boy over with its weight and making him jump in shock.  
  
The peregrine falcon dug inch-long talons into Lucas' shoulder sharply, perforating his robes and sinking into sensitive flesh. Lucas winced with a shallow gasp. The raptor stared at the boy through cold, sharp eyes and offered one leg, sinking the claws of the other deeper in order to maintain its balance.  
  
Lucas carefully removed the scroll of parchment from the proffered leg and was gratified when the falcon released his shoulder and took flight, perching on one of the high windowsills and watching carefully as the boy opened the letter and read.  
  
Dear Lucas,  
  
We have never met, but I know a great deal about you, the least of which being the complete history of your lineage. I offer your snake-eye amulet as proof. I have something I would like to discuss with you. Your parents are hiding secrets from you; secrets I can tell you. If you would like to meet with me, send a reply with Nemesis, my falcon. I will not reveal my identity until our meeting, should you choose to come, for my own protection. You see, there are many who would like to keep me from telling you the truth, so discretion is key. I would require the date of your first Hogsmeade weekend if you should like to speak with me. I'll send you further details if you choose to meet with me.  
  
Lucas stared curiously at the thick black script. He didn't recognize the flowing handwriting but aspects of it seemed vaguely familiar. He sat on one cold marble stair and began rummaging in his bag for a quill, ink, and a scrap of parchment. He quickly scrawled down the date 'October 16' and replaced his writing tools and the mysterious letter in his knapsack.  
  
As if sensing that Lucas was replying, the falcon soared down and landed on the boy, which elicited a pained hiss from him as talons dug into his fresh wounds. The boy quickly attached the new message to the bird's leg, hoping it would take leave quickly. It did, beating its powerful wings around Lucas' head as it took to the air and flew out the window, heading east.  
  
Lucas sighed with relief as it left; he had found the animal's intensity disconcerting. He winced at the pain in his shoulder and glanced at it, surprised at the large tears in his robes and the many puncture wounds in his pale flesh, all seeping blood that had nearly soaked the clothing covering them.  
  
"Maybe I ought to see Madam Pomfrey," he muttered to himself, turning and slowly heading up the marble staircase towards the Hospital Wing.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Lucas was naked to the waist, wincing periodically as Madam Pomfrey applied a thick salve to the sixteen neat punctures in his shoulder; four in the thick muscle of his back and twelve in the sensitive flesh of his collarbone.  
  
"Where did you get these?" the Mediwitch asked sharply, prodding at one of the gashes, one that had come very close to severing the boy's carotid artery.  
  
Lucas gasped in pain. "Over-excited post owl," he replied quickly, keeping his face as straight as he could, despite Madam Pomfrey's examination. Peregrine falcons were not usually used to deliver mail, and he didn't want Pomfrey to get suspicious, though from her expression, she already was.  
  
Poppy Pomfrey's sharp eyes narrowed critically as she scrutinized the boy's wounds. She had already decided from the spacing and depth of the punctures that it could not have been an owl, but if Lucas wasn't going to tell her the truth, there was nothing she could do about that. She covered the salve with a few layers of white gauze and flicked her wand at the bundle of blood-soaked robes and school uniform, removing the rust-coloured stains and mending the holes. "Considering the nature of your injuries, it is not necessary for me to inform your parents," Pomfrey told Lucas with a frown on her face. "You are free to go. There are still fifteen minutes left to lunch; I suggest you get something to eat."  
  
Lucas nodded and gingerly redressed himself, trying not to move his injured shoulder as he did so. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," he said, affecting his most charming smile. Despite her suspicions, the Mediwitch couldn't help but smile back. Then Lucas hurried from the Hospital Wing, still buttoning as he rushed down the stairs.  
  
"Where have you been, and who were you with?" asked a sharp voice from the bottom of the stairs. Rienne had taking one look at Lucas' flushed cheeks and haphazard appearance and had jumped to the first conclusion that had popped into her head.  
  
Lucas' eyes widened in shock at the accusation in her voice. Rienne hardly ever got really angry, but when she did it was wise to proceed with caution. "I was in the Hospital Wing with Madam Pomfrey," he answered carefully, gauging Rienne's reaction. She simply crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable as she waited for the rest of Lucas' explanation. He descended the rest of the stairs slowly, coming to a rest a few feet in front of his girlfriend, but still far enough away that she'd have to move closer in order to hit him. Without a word, he unfastened the top few buttons of his robes and the dress shirt beneath, delicately sliding them both off his shoulder to expose white bandages.  
  
Rienne closed the distance between them in seconds, pressing her lips to the gauze, one hand massaging the back of his neck gently. "What happened?" she asked softly, voice free of accusation and instead full of concern.  
  
Lucas sighed in relief, letting his eyes drift shut at Rienne's touches. "Over-excited post owl," he replied, not exactly sure why he was lying to Rienne. "Apparently I've got sixteen puncture wounds under there."  
  
"That's so odd," Rienne muttered thoughtfully. "I've never known an owl to do such damage. Who was the letter from?"  
  
"My maternal grandparents," Lucas replied quickly, with the first response he could think of. "The owl just wasn't familiar with me, I think." Lucas still wasn't sure why he was lying to Rienne, but the secretive way the letter had been written gave him pause when he considered telling anyone about it.  
  
Rienne didn't question the validity of Lucas' lie in the least, instead asking, "What did they want?"  
  
Lucas' eyes darted around wildly as he cast about for a suitable answer, but luckily Rienne didn't see this. "They just want me to write more; keep them updated on things. Nothing major. You think there's time for me to grab a bite before we go visit Grandmother Cissa?" Lucas asked, seamlessly changing the subject.  
  
Rienne had begun adjusting Lucas' clothing, fastening the buttons of his shirt and robes, and didn't look up from her task as she answered. "Sure, there's time, but why bother? Cissa will probably have all sorts of things to eat with tea. She usually does."  
  
Lucas laughed. "True enough. It's probably better I haven't eaten, actually." He lowered himself to sit on one of the stairs, careful not to move his torso as he did so. "We might as well wait here, then. The triplets will be out in a bit, I'm sure."  
  
Rienne sat beside him, curling a few fingers absentmindedly in the hair at the nape of Lucas' neck. "So what did your father tell you?" she asked curiously.  
  
Lucas growled slightly at the thought of that conversation. "Nothing concrete, though I was able to work out that it was something Harry said that had him so upset. I'm not to tell anyone he was here last night, especially my mother, and you're to do the same."  
  
Rienne looked shocked. "You mean our fathers are cooperatively keeping secrets? Those two can't even agree to disagree!" she said with a giggle.  
  
"I think you're missing the point," Lucas said stiffly. "Whatever they're hiding from me, they are also hiding from my mother. Her husband and one of her best friends. Think about that. What could they be hiding? What's so damn important?" He let out a frustrated growl.  
  
"I'd like to know that as well," came a voice from the entrance to the Great Hall. "What is so damn important?"  
  
"It is very important that you don't ask any more questions, Britton Malfoy," Lucas retorted, turning to face his three siblings, who had just exited the Great Hall and were crossing towards them.  
  
Rienne stood and then turned to help Lucas to his feet. "I trust you are all ready to go see Cissa and the demon spawn?" she asked, not-so-subtly changing the subject.  
  
"What happened, Lucas?" Flynn interjected, crossing towards the staircase. "Why'd you have to help him up, Rienne?" she asked with an almost accusatory tone.  
  
"A post owl dug its claws a bit deep when it landed on my shoulder, Flynn," Lucas answered, putting his arm around his younger sister's shoulders and steering her towards the dungeons, Rienne, Britton, and Connor flanking them.  
  
"You got attacked by an owl?" Britton laughed in disbelief. He poked Connor. "Why didn't you tell me you were staging something?"  
  
"It wasn't me," Connor objected. "I've been with you all day, git. When did I have time to go off and attack Lucas?"  
  
Lucas chuckled. "It was hardly an attack. Brilliant job blowing things out of proportion, though. Well done." He turned and knocked on a patch of wall that was, in fact, a well-disguised door.  
  
They heard the pounding of footsteps and stood back as the door swung open to reveal a small boy with shocking blue eyes and jet hair that was tied back in a ponytail halfway down his back. The boy had Snape's sharp features, but Narcissa's creamy complexion. If it was possible, his eyes seemed to light up more when he saw who was at the door. "Lucas!" he squealed, leaping into the older boy's arms.  
  
Lucas stumbled backwards a few steps with the force of the attack and chuckled, easily lifting the younger boy into his arms and carrying him back into the room. "And hello to you too, Deimos," he laughed. "Not giving your mother too much trouble, I hope?"  
  
Deimos shook his head rapidly, a wide grin n his face. Then he squirmed out of Lucas' arms to the floor and began tugging on his arm. "Come on, Lucas! Look at what I can do!"  
  
"Hold up a minute, Tiger," Lucas told the boy, gazing around the room. "Where's your mum? We came to see her too, you know."  
  
"I'm in here, darling," called a soft and melodious voice from the kitchen. "I'll be out just as soon as I put on a pot of water. Make yourselves comfortable."  
  
Lucas gently pulled his hand away from Deimos as the boy began tugging on it again. "Don't worry, we'll come see in just a bit. We won't forget."  
  
The five blondes all crossed into the living area and tried to find enough seating room to accommodate them all. Flynn perched in an armchair, while Britton and Connor took the small couch. Lucas and Rienne sat on the floor with Deimos, leaving the other wingback for Narcissa.  
  
Deimos had apparently grown impatient with waiting, and had disappeared into his bedroom, reappearing moments later carrying a small bronze cauldron. It was full of an extremely viscous orange slime that bubbled violently despite its lack of a heating source. As the five of them watched, Deimos poured in a small phial of purple powder, which resulted in the formation of a midnight blue cloud rising from the cauldron. They all clapped, causing the dark-haired boy to giggle and blush.  
  
Just as Narcissa entered the room carrying a large tray laden with tea and chocolate cake, the door swung wide, revealing Professor Snape.  
  
"Rienne, Lucas, you'd better come with me."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
A/N: So ends chapter the fourth.with another cliffie. Dum dum dum. Deimos is a doll, and I'll not have you say otherwise. *Cuddles him* Considering Severus and Narcissa both have Greek (or Greek-sounding) names, I thought it only fitting their children should have Greek names as well. Hence Ophelia and Deimos. Ophelia means "Serpent" and Deimos means "Terror". 


End file.
